Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-12-08
DAYS OF THE PLATFORM.
When Distinguished Lecturers Spoke
Their Pieces for Moderate Sum.


In the early days Of the platform the
most distinguished lecturers seldom re.
ceived more than $50 lecture, exclu-
sive of expenses, and they usually visit.
ed large towns within given territory.
They travelled with comfort, put up at
good inns, when they did not accept
private hospitality and were generously
treated in every respect. But, as time
went on, and the business increased,
their field expanded, and great fatigue
and hardship had to te incurred. Pri-
ces we're much higher but they were
hardly in proportion to the augmented
labor and trials. Lecturers were ex.
pected to journey far beyond the Mis-
sissippi into wild regions, where accom-
modations of every sort were the scan
tiest aud poorest. AS they bad to
make close connections, and as the
most active season was in winter, early
rising and dressing in cold rooms, wait.
ing at comfortless railway stations, and
staying at miserable taveIns, combined
with uninterrupted hard work, irregu-
lar meals and severe nervous strain,
was such draft on strength and health
that few constitutions could endure 1t.
Many lecturers were obliged 10 relin-
quish their calling altogether, more to
contine their engagements to limited
area, while not few were so broken
down that they never recovered. Those
who had been long in the field say that
there is no toll equal TO it, that it is the
most arduous way of earning money
with which they haye any acquaint-
ance.
DR.. Holmes still spontaneous and
brilliant in his 10th year, was favor
ite lecturer before the war, but found
the strain and drain on his nervous
system altogether too great for his
healthful though delicate organization.
BE knew that if he did not give up lee.
turing it would give him up; conse-
quently, for quarter Of a century he
has refused to be again beguiled into
the field by the most fiattering offers.
He owns his longevity to his extreme
care of himself in every way, He en-
joys life so keeniy that he is unwilling
to surrender any particle of it which he
caa retain by the exercise of constant
vigilance.
DIR. ]. q. Holland had superb con-
stituiion aud exceptional health, which
failed suddenly, and during the last
years he suffered much. He always
ascribed his break down to the exhaus-
tive toll of intiuerant lectnring.
Bayard Taylor, who had tine ply
siQue, so spent his early force by long
period of lectuIing that he passed away
in comparative youth, when his pros
poets were brightest and his reputation
was steadily rising.
John B. Cough, though he lived to a
good age, would doubtless have lived
much longer had he retired from the
rostrum. He had had repeated warn.
ings, but ihe did not heed them. He
paid the penalty of wronglng nature
and dlsregarding prudential consider
atIons.
Henry Ward Beecher would probably
have been alive to-day but for his per-
sistency in lecturing. No man has had
a more vigorous body, with more a.
bounding health but he would make
ltng and tiresome journeys, lecturing
all oyer the country and in Great Brit
ain, and this, with the numberless
other tasks he set himself. killed him
at 73, though his father, whose rugged
ness he inherited, lived beyond 81.
Wendell Philips, George William
Curtis, James Parton, Parke Goodwin,
Douald G.. Mitchell ard many other of
the early lecturers we're obliged to sur
render lectnring, to any extent, on ac-
count of the injury it did their health.
They declare that the most rugged con-
stitution will yield TO the extraordinary
tension after number of years, and
their experience has clearly demon
strated their opinion 10 be correct
.Juaias Henri Bro.cn IN Globe Democrat.